Types Of Small Business Structures Business Essay

Types Of Small Business Structures Business Essay Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships. Small business employs over half of the countrys workforce. While many people think that new industrial giants are the most important factor in driving the economy, but small business is actually in the top. Small business in all country has been the stabilizing force in the economy. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of creativity and production. Small business is what stimulates economic growth. Every country has its own criteria to separate small businesses from the larger ones Apart from number of employees other criteria for classifying a business as small are: Amount of capital employed Annual Sales turnover Value of assets Profits Types of Small Business  Structures Making the right decision about the legal and corporate structure of the business is critical to long-term success. How establishing the business will affect ownership rights, personal liability risks, and how operate the business. The following is a simple breakdown of some of the different types of business structures. 1.  Corporations Corporations are governed by a set of By laws, which are usually filed along with Articles of Incorporation. Corporations become a legal entity that owns itself. Corporations can have their own bank accounts, assets, and even secure financing. All tax-exempt nonprofit organizations must be incorporated 2.  Limited Liability Company (LLC) (also called Limited Liability Corporation) A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is sometimes also referred to as a Limited Liability Corporation, but the preferred term is Company. It is one of the simpler ways to start a business, and is becoming one of the most popular ways to structure a business. An LLC is not a corporation, but has some of the protection benefits that a fully incorporated business structure has. 3.  Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) An LLP is similar to a general partnership; however, in an LLP, each partner is not liable for the actions of other partners. If one partner dies, the LLP automatically ceases. There are many forms or partnerships that can be formed. 4.  Sole Proprietorships The sole proprietorship is the easiest way to form a business. It is subject to the fewest regulations of all business structures. For tax and legal purposes, the business is the owner. When the owner dies the business automatically ceases. Starting a Business Identify Your Business Opportunity: Choosing what kind of business to start can be an immobilizing task when confronted with the multitude of opportunities. Its important to determine where the passions lie. Yet, equally important is what skills you bring to the table and whether you are entering a dying industry or a fast growing emerging business. Build a Business Plan: For any start-ups, a business plan allows you to gain a better understanding of your industry structure, competitive landscape, and the capital requirements of starting a small business. Find Start-up Money: To start a business, you must invest in the business. The journey of finding start up funds will be different for each individual. Some start ups such as consulting, requires a few thousand to get a website and business cards whereas a retail store could need lots of money. Finding the money you need may come for a source you never thought of . Name Your Business: Whats in a business name? The right business name will help distinguish you from a sea of bland competitors, provide your customers with a reason to hire you, and aid in the branding of your company. Learn what you need to know to find a name for your business. Choose a Business Structure: Deciding on the structure of your business is not a decision to be taken lightly. Whether you choose the popular LLC, a sole proprietorship or form a corporation; your choice will have an impact on your business liability, fund-ability as well as taxes due. Dont worry over your ultimate business structure, because as your business evolves, so too, may your structure. Get Your Business License and Permits: Starting a small business requires the ordinary, yet necessary, paperwork and regulations. Depending on your chosen business structure, may need to register your business with the state authorities. Setting up your small business may require an employer identification number which is also used by state taxing authorities to identify businesses. Additional paperwork can entail sales tax licenses. Set Up Determine Your Business Location: One of the multitudes of tasks in starting a business is the setting up of your office. There are many steps in office set up including where to locate your office (home or office space), buying the necessary office equipment, designing your work space and getting supplies. Get Business Insurance: As a new small business owner, you have the responsibility to manage the risks associated with your business. Dont put your new start-up at risk without getting the proper small business insurance to protect your company in the event of disaster or litigation. Create an Accounting System: The accounting and bookkeeping aspect of running your business cant be avoided. Setting up your accounting will help you understand the financials of running a business . Advantages and disadvantages of small business This Following are the advantages and disadvantages of small businesses to their owner or operator as well as the economy in which they operate. Appropriate government policies to promote small businesses are also discussed. Advantage of the owner There is a relatively small amount of capital needed to start the businesses. This is a very strong point as banks might not be willing to lend large amounts of money to businesses that are new. These businesses are good for those people who have experience in a field but do not have an adequate amount of resources. These resources of production could be land, labor, capital and enterprise. Enterprise is the risk taking ability of the owner. Small businesses give the owner the freedom to choose the way they want to work, the office hours, when to take breaks during the day or when to take a day off. The entrepreneur has complete right over the profit. He does not have to share it with other, unlike large public limited companies which have to give out the profits to a large number of shareholders in the form of dividends. Entrepreneurs own business motivates him to work harder as he takes all the profits and is Advantages of the Economy   Ã‚  They provide employment to a very large number of people. In some economies, they employ more than half of the total employees. They act as competitors to larger firms which will help improve their efficiency and lower the prices offered to the consumers. Small firms might come up with very innovative ideas which can lead to mass production of products and exports to foreign markets which has huge advantages for the economy. Most businesses start with being small. Therefore there is an enormous chance that small businesses of today might become the market leaders of tomorrow and provide greater benefits to the economy. Government Policies to Help Small Businesses The governments should offer lower amount of corporate taxes for small businesses. Most governments do that. Loans should be provided to these businesses which are free of interest or at very small rates of interest. Grants should be given to small businesses for operating in underdeveloped areas of the country with high unemployment The government should provide them satisfactory level of training so that the owners and employees could work more efficiently to make the business a success  [1]   The importance and benefits of small businesses Small businesses are vital to the success of the economy. Not only as they provide the success stories of the future, but also because they meet local needs. They serve the requirements of larger businesses. Being entrepreneurial simply means developing the right skills, attitudes and initiatives to make an innovative contribution to an organization. Small businesses survive and prosper for many different reasons: Developing personal relationships small businesses are well placed to build personal relationships with customers, employees, and suppliers. With a small business you know who you are dealing with; you can put a face to the person you are in contact with. Person-to-person interaction is as important as ever in building strong relationships. Responding flexibly to problems and challenges in a small business there is little hierarchy or chain of command. Large businesses may have set ways of operating and establish procedures that are hard to change. Small businesses are often far more flexible. It can also reach a quick decision on whether or not it can do what is required. Inventiveness and innovation small businesses are well positioned to introduce and develop new ideas. This is due to their owners not having to report or seek approval from anyone else. Low overheads due to the small scale of operation, small businesses have lower overhead costs. They operate in small premises with low heating and lighting costs, and limited rent and rates to pay. Low costs result in lower prices for consumers. Catering for limited or niche markets -large firms with high overheads must produce high levels of output to spread costs. By contrast, small firms are able to make a profit on much lower sales figures. They can therefore sell into much smaller markets: a local window cleaner serving a few hundred houses, a specialist jewellery maker with personal clients. The main reason many people choose to set up a small business, is because it gives them independence. They also reap the rewards for themselves; these are two powerful incentives Small businesses face the following problems Costs A study conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business reported in 2008 that the primary problem that business owners face is the expense of running the business. The inability to control some costs, including health insurance, energy bills and inflation, add stress to the business owners bottom line. In addition, the cost of paying employees, stocking inventory and basic overhead can create cash flow issues for the small business owner. Time Management Time management can become problematic for the owner of a small business. Small businesses often operate on a very tight budget, precluding the hiring of many employees. The owner is often faced with trying to manage and grow the business, while at the same time having to run the everyday operation. Small business owners can also find themselves so tied up in running the business that they dont take time to enjoy families, hobbies or other activities. Inflexibility Refusing to let go of an idea and move on to something else is a common problem for small business owners, according to the Nevada Appeal. For small business owners to succeed, it is important for them to be willing to think like an entrepreneur and explore many different ideas. Whether it is the need to change inventory, provide additional services or move to a new location, a small business owner must remain flexible if he wants his small business to succeed. Obtaining Credit Access to credit can be an issue for the small business owner, according to the Washington Post. A business line of credit can provide necessary cash flow during the start-up months. It can also ensure that the owner has the ability to fill the business with inventory and meet her payroll. A small business, however, will not always qualify for a large credit line, which can impede the owners ability to succeed. Employee Issues Small business owners often face a problem when it comes to hiring a workforce. Staffing enough workers to adequately cover the business needs without destroying the businesss profit margin can be a tricky process. Under capitalisation Poor debt management Lack of managerial skills of the owner Cannot retain experienced staff Usually find it difficult to attract skilled staff Poor stock management How can small business survive Small firms survive by being different (product differentiation). They can survive by Segmenting the market by income. They can target niche market segments of high income customers, position their product as a premium brand at a high premium price eg Morgan sports cars Small firms have the advantage of being able to respond quickly to change they do not have the bureaucratic procedures often a feature of large firms where decisions are made only after endless meetings. This means they can be quick to exploit new market trends. The Internet also allows small firms direct access to consumers, by passing intermediaries. The web gives small firms the opportunity of international marketing. Small independent firms can join together to form a buying group to negotiate discounts on joint orders. Small firms can survive by selecting a premium niche and offering an exclusive brand that exactly meets the customer requirements of their target segment. They will need to be totally customer orientated. Keep well documentation for  accounts receivable financing  when unexpected expenses arrive.  

Problems of Working Women

Problems of Working Women While discussing the issues and concerns about working women, the main emphasis should be on the opportunities for women, as it is of utmost importance. Like every human being, a woman has a natural desire for the expression of her inborn knack and abilities; even a small baby shows his natural guts through his actions and movements. So, if a woman learns something, she craves for expressing it in some way. It is quite encouraging that nowadays, women have much more opportunities and prospects for the assertion of their individuality and talents. The services sector has increased the chances for women with its comfortable environment, where they can actively participate and excel, even from a distant place. Hence, if the focus is right, this issue will, hopefully, find its way towards a positive solution. In short we need revamp in all round corners with respect to working womens lives. We need to help each other, join together in chorus to raise our issues, put them in a proposal to government for new legislations angled at improving working womens lives. 1. Introduction In India, men do not share on most of the household chores, it is women who have to cook, clean the house, do the dishes, wash clothes, get their children ready for school etc. Men just took care of few chores that are to be dealt outside the house. So the major burden of running the family is on the shoulders of women. It was alright for women to handle all the chores as long as they were homemakers. Now with their increasing need for getting some income for the family, they have to work all the more harder. They have to take up a 9 to 5 job plus handle all the household chores that they handled as a homemaker. Mens role has not changed much. The status of Indian women has undergone considerable change. Though Indian women are far more independent and aware of their legal rights, such as right to work, equal treatment, property and maintenance, a majority of women remain unaware of these rights. There are other factors that affect their quality of life such as age of marriage, extent of literacy, role in the family and so on. In many families, women do not have a voice in anything while in several families; the women may have a dominating role. The result is that the empowerment of women in India is highly unbalanced and with huge gaps. Those who are economically independent and literate live the kind of life that other women tend to envy about. This disparity is also a cause for worry because balanced development is not taking place.1 2. Objectives of the study: To study the status of working women in India. To study the problems faced by working women in India 3. Scope of the study: The scope of the study is limited to the present status of working women in India 4. Review of Literature: Hate (1978) in her book stated that there is positive change in the political, economics and social status of middle class working and non-working women living in four cities in Maharashtra with the advent of independence. Robinson and Skarie (1980) in their article on stress of working women stated that in the area of stress and its relationship to locus control reveals that internally oriented individuals show less perception of role overload and role ambiguity Chandrika (1982) in her study stated that in the last decade of the 20th century the spotlight fell on various specific issues of women, these include multiple feminine identity, gender and sexuality, feminization of poverty environment and sustainable development, planning and power globalization, sex tourism, sexual harassment at work place, Dalit womens issues, tribal women and minority womens problem, womens rights as human rights, communal fascism, women and media. These yielded truly in depth analysis, studies and discussions and action programmers. Seta Vaidayalingam (1994) discussed the problem and concerns of Indian women. According to working women are subject to more explanative problems and pressures then their non- working sisters. Finding a suitable occupation in the first problem right and proceeds it and of course fighting for the right amount of education to secure a decent job, tops it all, after having completed her education when a women steps the field of vocation are not quite correct, we find to be womens staying capacity and the usual remarks is adequate. This kind of attitude spoils a womens changes at all levels and particularly in the field of self -employment with a job come other problematic situations, kinds of people at work especially men. Number of lawyers do not encourage women simply because the later to level the office at about 6 p.m. in order to reach home early despite the fact that a busy lawyers office is at its best after 6 p.m. Single working women have the accommodation problem, if working i n a city their families do not live with them. One has heard and read in the newspaper of the unfavorable conditions prevailing in hostels which in any case among to meet encouraged to need. My own mother has never done a days work despite having secured a medical education from the Madras Medical College. Let us look at some of the basic problems faced by working women in modern-day India. 5. Status of Working Women in India Status of Indian working women is far from being satisfactory.. 6. Data Analysis Interpretation Most commonly used development indicators are work and employment as an economic empowerment measure for women via-avis men, participation in Decision Making in Administrative and Political power. The status of working Indian women has been shown in Table 1 during the recent past of post independence period. From 1971-2001 the overall work participation rate for women has gone from 34.3 percent to 39.26 percent, just a marginal increase of 5 per cent over a long period of three decades. Ideal share in work participation of women should have been equal to sex ratio of women in the total population of the country. We are far away from this ideal even after 65 years of independence. Work participation in higher administrative posts is miserably low. Though there has been a cry for equal political participation for women in political decision making, barring a single exception of Womens participation in Local Self Government bodies, the rate of womens participation in state assemblies has hardly increase by .0.5 percent over the period of 15 years from 1985 to 2000 whereas the participation in MPs in Parliament has increase just by 4 per cent over a period of 20 years from 6.1 per cent to 10.1 per cent. Shall we be able to bring gender equality in near future? How long we should wait for bringing gender equality in real terms? 7. Problems of Working Women Acceptance As Working Professionals Most Indian men are yet to come to terms with the fact that women are also capable of working with them, shoulder to shoulder, in any field or professional sphere. They still visualize women as individuals who should be in charge of the kitchen and other domestic affairs. Work is either seen as a temporary evil for women whose husbands do not earn enough, or the domain of women who do not know their place. As a result, Indian working women do not get the respect they require from their male colleagues in the workplace. Balancing Work-Family Life No matter how high their position or designation is in the office, women in India are still viewed as the family manager back home. They are expected to return home at a certain time, cook, clean and take care of family affairs. In fact, men who help out around their house are often the butt of jokes by their male friends. This makes life extremely stressful for women who have little help around the house and have to do it all. Travelling For Work is Not Acceptable One of the problems faced by married working women is that they cannot travel or go on tours without having to answer uncomfortable questions by most of their friends and family. This is especially true for married women, who also have a flourishing career. Their professional obligations often depend on the support and understanding of family members. A married man can go on long official tours outside his home city, without raising eyebrows and questions from his family members and peers, but his equally-successful wife would face disapproval. As a result, women often have to opt out of jobs than involve travel or settle for not being promoted as a result. Safety Of Working Women The nosey questions factor aside, there is still the concern for safety of working women who need to travel on official business. Women travelling out of their home city for work trips are considered vulnerable and an easy target to fulfill the lewd intentions of their chauvinist male colleagues. Checking into a hotel alone is one of the problems faced by working women, even if the trip is purely official. Many hotels refuse to allot a room to a single woman (under strange pretexts) because of their own safety concerns or if a woman decides to stay alone, she is viewed with suspicion. Unequal Pay One of the raging topics of discussion in the context of problems faced by working women (not only in India, but also in many other nations) is that of equal pay. Legally, a woman is entitled to get the same salary as their male colleagues for the same kind of work done by them. However, gender discrimination is rampant as many companies still do not adhere to these guidelines and pay women less than their male colleagues. Education Though it is gradually rising, the female literacy rate in India is lower than the male literacy rate. Compared to boys, far fewer girls are enrolled in the schools, and many of them drop out. According to the National Sample Survey Data of 1997, only the states of Kerala and Mizoram have approached universal female literacy rates. According to majority of the scholars, the major factor behind the improved social and economic status of women in Kerala is literacy. Under Non-Formal Education programme (NFE), about 40 Per cent of the centers in states and 10 Per cent of the centers in UTs are exclusively reserved for females. As of 2000, about 0.3 million NFE centers were catering to about 7.42 million children, out of which about 0.12 million were exclusively for girls. In urban India, girls are nearly at par with the boys in terms of education. However, in rural India girls continue to be less educated than the boys. According to a 1998 report by U.S. Department of Commerce, the chief barrier to female education in India are inadequate school facilities (such as sanitary facilities), shortage of female teachers and gender bias in curriculum (majority of the female characters being depicted as weak and helpless). Discrimination at Workplace However, Indian women still face blatant discrimination at their workplaces. A major problem faced by the working women is sexual harassment at the work place. Further, women employees working in night shift are more vulnerable to such incidents. Nurses, for example, face this problem nearly every day. There is nothing that is done in hospitals to tackle and address the danger they face. Such blatant disregard of current Indian laws is one reason why sexual harassment at the workplace continues to increase. Also, Indian women are often deprived of promotions and growth opportunities at work places but this doesnt apply to all working women. A majority of working women continue to be denied their right to equal pay, under the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 and are underpaid in comparison to their male colleagues. This is usually the case in factories and labor-oriented industries. Land and property rights In most Indian families, women do not own any property in their own names, and do not get a share of parental property. Due to weak enforcement of laws protecting them, women continue to have little access to land and property. In fact, some of the laws discriminate against women, when it comes to land and property rights. The Hindu personal laws of mid-1956s (applied to Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains) gave women rights to inheritance. However, the sons had an independent share in the ancestral property, while the daughters shares were based on the share received by their father. Hence, a father could effectively disinherit a daughter by renouncing his share of the ancestral property, but the son will continue to have a share in his own right. Additionally, married daughters, even those facing marital harassment, had no residential rights in the ancestral home. After amendment of Hindu laws in 2005, now women in have been provided the same status as that of men. In 1986, the Supreme Court of India ruled that Shah Bano, an old divorced Muslim woman was eligible for maintenance money. However, the decision was vociferously opposed by fundamentalist Muslim leaders, who alleged that the court was interfering in their personal law. The Union Government subsequently passed the Muslim Womens (Protection of Rights upon Divorce) Act. Similarly, the Christian women have struggled over years for equal rights of divorce and succession. In 1994, all the churches, jointly with womens organizations, drew up a draft law called the Christian Marriage and Matrimonial Causes Bill. However, the government has still not amended the relevant laws. Crimes against women Police records show high incidence of crimes against women in India. The National Crime Records Bureau reported in 1998 that the growth rate of crimes against women would be higher than the population growth rate by 2010.Earlier; many cases were not registered with the police due to the social stigma attached to rape and molestation cases. Official statistics show that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of reported crimes against women. Domestic Violence Globally, one out of every three women faces violence at the hands of their husbands, Fathers, or brothers and uncles in their homes. Domestic violence can be described as when one adult in a relationship misuses power to control another through violence and other forms of abuse. The abuser tortures and controls the victim by calculated threats, intimidation and physical violence. Although men, women and children can be abused, in most cases the victims are women. In every country where reliable, large-scale studies have been conducted, results indicate that between 16 and 52 Per cent of women have been assaulted by their husbands/partners. These studies also indicate widespread violence against women as an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Such violence may also include rape and sexual abuse. Psychological Status of Women in India: Problems and concerns 25violence includes verbal abuse, harassment, confinement and deprivation of physical, financial and personal resources. For some women emotional abuse may be more painful than physical attacks because they effectively undermine womens security and self-confidence. In India, violence within the home is universal across culture, religion, class and ethnicity. The abuse is generally condoned by social custom and considered a part and parcel of marital life. Statistics reveal a grim picture of domestic violence in India. The National Crimes Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India reports a shocking 71.5 Per cent increase in instances of torture and dowry deaths during the period from 1991 to 1995. Dowry Another serious issue in modern India is Courts are flooded with cases related to death due to dowry harassment by husband and in laws. In ancient times women were given Stridhan when they departed from the house of their parents. This amount of money was given to her as a gift which she can use on her and her children but her in-laws did not have any right on that amount. This amount was supposed to help the girl in time of need. Slowly this tradition became obligatory and took the form of dowry. Nowadays parents have to give hefty amount in dowry, the in laws of their girl are not concerned whether they can afford it or not. If a girl brings large amount of dowry she is given respect and is treated well in her new home and if she does not bring dowry according to expectations of her in laws then she has to suffer harassment. Due to this evil practice many newly wed women of India have to lose their lives. 8. Conclusion: Thus, while discussing the issues and concerns about working women, the main emphasis should be on the opportunities for women, as it is of utmost importance. Like every human being, a woman has a natural desire for the expression of her inborn knack and abilities; even a small baby shows his natural guts through his actions and movements. So, if a woman learns something, she craves for expressing it in some way. It is quite encouraging that nowadays, women have much more opportunities and prospects for the assertion of their individuality and talents. The services sector has increased the chances for women with its comfortable environment, where they can actively participate and excel, even from a distant place. Hence, if the focus is right, this issue will, hopefully, find its way towards a positive solution. In short we need revamp in all round corners with respect to working womens lives. We need to help each other, join together in chorus to raise our issues, put them in a proposal to government for new legislations angled at improving working womens lives. A couple of visibly clear steps the government can take to improving working womens lives are: Give higher interest in all bank deposits to women Give 30-50 Per cent discount in all Rail/bus/plane fares to women Legislate strict laws against sexual harassment in offices Setup special courts for handling complaints of working women against their employers Legislate leeway for special leaves needed by working women Legislate laws to curb inequality

Schwa :: essays research papers

Schwa Schwa's past is slightly blurred, but it is generally held that the religion has its roots in ancient Egypt. A small breakaway group are believed to have gathered regularly to exchange news and, on occasion, personal accounts of landings by what they called `star-creatures'. These beings were identical to the Egyptian gods, and their belief was that these beings came to their land, from their home amongst the stars, disguised as animals with which they were familiar (the jackal, the cat etc). Some hieroglyphics have been uncovered by archaeologists which, according to Schwa followers, are the original inscriptions of members of the ancient religion, but have been wrongly interpreted by `UFO fanatics' as proof that aliens built the pyramids. This leads non-believers to give little weight to what was "actually a true and proper religion". Since those primitive days the religion has developed enormously, but the biggest and most important advancements have only come in the past decade. Previously, followers had only gathered in what could be described as `sects' in many different countries, with the highest concentration being in North America. It wasn't until 1986 that Jeff Krantz, a 19 year old art student at the University of Michigan, started came to be known as `The Union', a wave of change that would sweep across the world over a period of two years, and would result in united international Schwa religion. "I had just been transferred from (the University of) Wisconsin in the earlier part of that year," Krantz says. "I had attended regular meetings with about half a dozen other believers. We met one night each week to talk about stuff related to our belief - that the Earth, and everything on it, was created by extraterrestrial beings. I guess you could say they're on the same level as the gods of other religions, but we believe that our creators are actual living, breathing beings, not spirits; an analogy would be our superiority over creatures which we created through gene technology, DNA splicing or whatever. "At one of these meetings we decided that we should have some sort of symbol that we could make into stickers. Each of us could then stick them on books or wherever, just to get people thinking about what they could mean, and also to bring the group together under an identifiable symbol - kind of like a flag." The task fell to Adrian Blackwell, another art student whom Krantz saw often outside of these meetings. "The idea for the sticker kind of came to me when I was on acid," Blackwell recalls, smiling.

The Cruel Joke of Life Exposed in Vonneguts Cats Cradle :: Vonnegut Cats Cradle Essays

The Cruel "joke" of Life Exposed in Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle Cat's Cradle is set up like a series of comic strips, with satirical commentary found in the last "panel". What, then, could we conclude is the accumulative punchline for the entire novel? What does Vonnegut give us for his "last laugh"? If we attempt to answer this question, we must first try solving the answers to "what is the joke?" and "who is the joker?" It seems Vonnegut's characters are the victims to the cruel "joke" of life. In Cat's Cradle he suggests that God is the joker. Like any good comedian, he must consider his timing and his audience. By using human beings that are always trying to understand it all in a scientific age, it becomes the perfect "set-up". His method of delivering the joke seems to be either through Religion or Science. In the novel, the more the characters try to find the meaning of life, the funnier and more absurd the joke becomes. And no one is laughing harder than Bokonon. Julian Castle quotes this poem from The Books of Bokonon after Jonah shrieks, "My God-life! Who can understand even one minute of it?" Tiger got to hunt, Bird got to fly; Man got to sit and wonder, 'Why, why, why?' Tiger got to sleep, Bird got to land; Man got to tell himself he understand (150). Bokononism is a witty, satirical retort to the methods that God uses to play his joke. Bokonon and his followers understand the joke and even play along. When the final "punchline" is about to be delivered (when the ice nine is released), the Bokononists, who seem to have always anticipated an end to this prank called life, willingly eat the ice nine and kill themselves.

Is Your Sore Throat Strep?

Is Your Sore Throat Strep? By Kristin Hayes, About. com Guide Updated October 06, 2009 About. com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board Question: Is Your Sore Throat Strep? It can be difficult to tell if your sore throat is strep or simply a cold virus. However, in most cases of strep throat there are some key differences. Answer: The only way to know for sure if your sore throat is strep is to have a rapid strep test or a throat culture.These tests must be performed at a physician's office, but let's face it you can't go running in to the doctor every time your throat gets a little scratchy. Characteristics of strep throat include a severe sore throat that may cause pain or difficulty swallowing. The back of the throat is usually very red and there may be white patches in the back of the throat or on the tonsils. The tonsils and lymph nodes also may be swollen. Some people get a fever. It is not uncommon to be very tired and achy or to lose y our appetite.In some cases you may get a rash. The biggest difference between strep throat and a cold virus is that strep throat usually does not cause runny nose, congestion, sneezing or coughing. All cases of strep throat must be treated with an antibiotic to avoid serious complications including heart problems, kidney problems or Scarlett fever — especially in children. For these reasons, it is very important to see the doctor if you or your child have symptoms of strep throat.

Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid” and Rowan Atkinson’s “Mr. Bean” Essay

The most apparent similarity between these two films is that both films revolve around the daily lives of the main characters. The main characters, Charlie and Mr. bean, in The Kid and Mr. Bean – The Ultimate Disaster Movie respectively, both have child-like qualities, and the tendency to be rather mischievous. Mr. Bean is naive and self-centered, sometimes to the extent of becoming somewhat mean. Despite his considerable age, he still sleeps cuddled up with his teddy bear. Nothing is sacred to him, and he plays his games with an earnest sheepishness. His childish directness and honesty, while offensive at times, are his sharpest weapons. The little adventures he gets into usually revolve around the foibles of British life and the comedy of embarrassment. He is practically friend-less (save for his teddy bear), and is an outcast, just like Charlie, the main character of The Kid. Charlie is a tramp living in the slumps of South London who, while walking around one day, stumbles upon a crying baby that had been abandoned on a heap of garbage. Instead of ignoring the desperate cries of the infant or throwing it into the nearest sewer, he displays the more compassionate side of human nature by taking the baby with him and caring for it like a father. When the child is taken is away from him, he naturally gets very upset, and with a child-like recklessness, embarks on a journey to get him back, a process which includes pursuing the orphanage van over rooftops to descend into the back of the truck, then dispatching the official who had taken the child away. These two characters are also similar in their disregard for established values and the possible consequences of their actions. Their quaintness manifests itself in the unconventional way in which they analyze and then  try to make the best out of whatever situation they find themselves in, clearing obstacles and solving problems that come, â€Å"their way†, with a have a never-say-die attitude in their attempts to somehow belong to the society. Both films, being formalistic, reflect the condition of the society at the particular point of time it was made; these â€Å"raw materials† have been slightly distorted, with symbolism and visual exaggeration being used to bring out the core messages their creators aimed to convey to the viewers, while giving the films a comic effect. As Mr. Bean – The Ultimate Disaster Movie was a more recent film – The Kid was made several decades prior to it; the technology available to the creators of each film differed greatly. At the time of The Kid’s production, a thing such as colour television was not heard of and sound had not yet been introduced into the production of films; The Kid was a silent, black-and-white film while Mr. Bean – The Ultimate Disaster Movie was one with colour, sound, and certain special effects such as having its main character, Mr. Bean, falling from the sky as the credits rolled. It would be impossible to create such effects in Charlie Chaplin’s time. Also due to the different eras in which these films were made, the scenario of each plot also differed. In the case of The Kid, it was a film made in the era of the Great Depression and the aftermath of World War 1, and with the twin themes of emotional loss and homelessness being haunting motifs in its plot, it is a poignant social commentary – of the displaced refugee children of World War 1, and for the persons grieving for loved ones whose lives were sacrificed in that war. The opening title, â€Å"A comedy with a smile–and perhaps a tear†, sums it up. This film addressed social and political issues of the day, and that was an admirable feat in itself considering the fact that this film did not have the advantage of synchronized sound for dialogue nor colour for its images. Mr. Bean – The Ultimate Disaster Movie, on the other hand, has its plot based on a much lighter theme. It generally pokes harmless fun at the ‘rigid’ and ‘uptight’ stereotype we have of Englishmen by first depicting a typical Englishman, Mr. Bean himself, in a typically ‘English’ environment, then later putting  him in an ‘international’ environment. Being release in 1997 it is a light-hearted satire of how the more conservative English society reacts to and attempt to adapt to rapidly changing international standards and the shifts in power. The main difference of these two movies is that The Kid aims to bring some cheer to its audiences’ hearts by showing how joy can still be found in the gloomiest conditions (as depicted in the daily lives of Charlie and the child he has adopted) and also to reflect the state of the society while Mr. Bean – The Ultimate Disaster Movie seeks to bring some comic relief into the highly stressful lifestyle of the modern-day individual, by actually letting them laugh at a highly exaggerated, and therefore comic, version of ‘themselves’. As mentioned earlier, the era in which Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid was made did not allow for colour or sound to be incorporated into its production. Being disadvantaged in this area, the actors in the film had to make up for it by emphasizing on facial expressions and body movements, in order to express thoughts and emotions, and also to portray certain unique mannerisms and character traits of the various characters in the story. Modern-day audiences who are unaccustomed to this form of acting might feel uncomfortable viewing films from the silent era, because the actors may seem to them, to be over-acting to an outrageous degree. However, it is also due to the same reason as to why silent movies tend to be more popular than modern-day comedy as overacting is a natural form of comedy. One example would be the fight scene in which Charlie defends the child from the Bully. The moves require both grace and precise comic-timing; Chaplin’s talent was apparent in this scene as he manages to make even a brawl seem funny without the use of colour, sound or special effects. Title were also edited to clarify the on-screen situation to the viewers or add critical dialogue when there was an absolute need to. As for Mr. Bean – The Ultimate Disaster Movie, dialogue is being kept to a minimum. The creators of this movie probably wanted the focus of the viewers’ attention to be Mr. Bean’s immature, self-centered, and sometimes  outright mean persona and how these character traits of his actively contribute to the various sticky situations he often finds himself in. The dialogue in this film is mainly used to depict his mood or immediate response to certain occurrences, and from that, the viewers form a deeper impression of his character. Dialogue is seldom used to make known to the audience the plans the characters has in mind to tackle his problems. Mr. Bean almost always executes his impractical ideas and solutions immediately after he is faced with the problem. This deliberate lack of dialogue somehow suggests the unwillingness to share ideas, the impulsiveness to carry out ideas without consultation, and the complete disregard for the welfare and feelings of others that will be affected by his actions. Suitable sound effects were used to further enhance the various moods of the scenes and these sounds also give viewers a clue of the magnitude and severity of the situation Mr. Bean has once again landed himself in. Both films make use of physical comedy extensively to bring out the comic aspects of their respective characters. The signature â€Å"French-kick† displayed by Charlie when he was with the child was one example. Throughout the movie The Kid, this â€Å"French-kick† motion of Charlie’s is being executed frequently; other actions of this sort are often employed to enhance the overall comic aspect of the movie. In Mr. Bean – The Ultimate Disaster Movie, the use of physical comedy was also evident throughout the entire show, with Mr. Bean trying to resolve his perpetually unceasing string of problems with a clumsy and impractical style of doing so, a style that is typically his. The characters in The Kid had to endure poverty, homelessness, and extreme loneliness; they are exposed to the harsher aspect of life. Mr. Bean, however, had a job and a decent place to live in; the only unhappy moments he ever experiences are when his plans backfire. These moments of unhappiness are very short-lived. Therefore the characters in Chaplin’s film definitely possessed more emotional depth than those in Rowan Atkinson’s movie. Bibliography *http://www.dvdreview.com/fullreviews/bean.shtml *http://www.american.edu/academic.depts/soc/run.html *http://indigo.ie/~obrienh/bean.htm *http://www.american.edu/academic.depts/soc/kid.html *http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/1921_in_film *http://wso.williams.edu/~dgerstei/chaplin/charlie-the-kid.html *http://math.gc.cuny.edu/Charlie_Chaplin_bio.html *http://www.gltech.org/Death%20of%20a%20Salesman/Dramatic%20Terms.htm *http://www.tvguide.com/movies/database/ShowMovie.asp?MI=38984 *http://www.moviesunlimited.com/musite/product.asp?sku=043041 *http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_film *http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/wheeler/lit_terms_Q-Z.html#lit.terms.S.Anchor *http://www.epinions.com/content_29557624452 *http://www.historychannel.com/cgi-bin/frameit.cgi?p=http%3A//www.historychann

National economic policy

On the issue of the global war on terror there are various effects which come along with the paying for the long-term war on terror. The huge amounts spent on this kind of war are spent through the government, through the private and other indirect means in the economy and these costs will need to be paid in the years to come.The policy or programs recommended addressing the likely effects of paying for the war on terrorWorld trade organization The world trade organization as an international organization promotes liberalization by encouraging all the nations to lower their existing trade barriers. In addressing the issue of the global war on terror the world trade organization has a mechanism by which it settles and also resolves various disputes without the result of any costly trade wars. Since the United States is a member of the world trade organization the country’s markets have been liberalized (William D. Orpheus 2002)Social securityThe social security program is highl y recommended in addressing the likely effects of war on terror. This ensures that the country has provided its citizens with the security that is needed against the attacks from the country’s enemies. Through the social security program the American citizens are given internal as well as the external security and they are also made to feel very safe in their own country.This is achieved by the continual; manning of the country’s entry points such as the airports and the sea. Ports. On the other hand there is lot of surveillance in the country and this prevents any possible attacks from the terrorists. The social security fund similarly ensures that the social welfare of the country’s citizen is well catered for and the citizens are well aware of their social security in terms of their social welfare. (U.S. Department of Justice 2002)Medicare and Medicaid spendingThe Medicare and also the medic aid spending are also recommended in addressing the likely effects o f paying for the long term war on terror. This provides the soldiers and also those who are involved in the war on terrorism a cover on their medical spending.The long-term financial strategy and the unique fiscal challenges of paying for the long term war on terrorThe American national security highly depends on the country’s financial security. There has been a revolutionary war debt in America and this and this has been a very huge threat to the nation’s creditworthiness and also its very existence. There has been an establishment of various financial principles in order to further secure the country. The country has been borrowing a lot so that it can pay for the war in Iraq as well as the short sighted tax cuts in the face of the long term war on terror which has been running against the American tradition thus placing the country into a security peril. (Daniel McGinnis with Suzanne Smalley 2003)This has led the American government to further realign its economic policies on the country’s taxes, the social security, Medicare, and also the country’s oil dependency so as to safeguard the American liberty as well as its future. The need to pay for the war on terror in America has driven the country to a financial innovation the American common duties for instance have often fallen off with the existing hostilities and this has further led to the increased reliance on the consumption and also the excise taxes.This has highly cut the civilians demand and freeing up the war resources but it has been very burdensome on the poor Americans. On the other hand the taxes on the businesses in America and also the wealthy people are very popular however they do not this do not reduce the consumption in the country and they also discourage an energetic investment in the country’s war industries. If it is broad based the financial debt can cement the support on the war but if it is not then it could lead to a class of creditors who have excessive political power.The shortsighted fiscal policyThe forging of the American fiscal policy has not been very simple since most of the American president’s have been frequently facing the congressional resistance to the country’s massive tax and its borrowing requests on several occasions. It has been found that the fiscal policy can not be only about the raising of very huge sums of money even though this is very important for the country as it addresses the issue of war on terror. But the fiscal policy could also be about finding several ways in resolving the country’s internal differences so as to unite the country behind the war effort as well as maximizing the productive output in the country’s economy.The American fiscal policy is short sighted since it is viewed by large portions of the country’s populations as unfair since the methods employed by the political leaders for securing funds for the war are also not fair. This will howeve r make the efforts for the support for the war to greatly suffer. On the other hand the methods used to raise money for the war on terror have weakened the country’s economy and also the country’s foundation of the military power.America has been faced with a major challenge of financing the war on terrorism since the long war has been fought is being fought in parallel with the ground wars which are prolonged in Iraq and also Afghanistan. The fiscal policy will limit and also prevent the government’s ability to pay for the threats of the catastrophic attacks from the country’s unknown enemies. This is because the policy has led to the elimination, postponement or even the reduction of funding for the low priority domestic projects so that there can be room for the high priority military spending in the budget.How to successfully prosecute the global war on terror while at the same time meeting the growing cost of retirement and the healthcare benefitsThe American leaders can successfully prosecute the global war on terror while at the same time meet the growing cost of the population’s retirements and the healthcare benefits of all the Americans. This could be achieved by finding ways which meet the crucial security needs while at the same time addressing the country’s healthcare costs of the aging population and the escalating retirement benefits.The country’s administration should adapt a long-term fiscal strategy which will allow for such needs to be met. The country’s budget on the other hand should encompass and also as set aside some amounts of money which will cater for the social security demands, together with the healthcare benefits and the growing costs of retirement for the aging population in America. Similarly the strategy should include more thorough prioritization on the allocation of the country’s resources.This will allow the curbing of the non essential spending in the country. On the other hand there should be a tax policy which will help in the avoidance of the country’s chronic deficits. Similarly the American government should adapt fiscal policies and strategies which will match the payouts in the prerogative programs at a closer look to the money which is flowing into the country. (Robert D. Hormat. 2007)The country should also reduce its dependence on the on the foreign capitals as this aggravate s the financial threat which is facing America as a nation. So that there could be a successful prosecution on both the war on terrorism and at the same time meeting the growing cost of retirement and the healthcare benefits the fiscal policy should be consistent and not in any way undermine the American national security.Reference:William D. Orpheus (2002): Iraq, The Economic Consequences of the War.   New YorkReview of Books, December 5,U.S. Department of Justice. (2002):   Explanation of the Process for Computing Presumed Economic Loss. Retrie ved fromAccessed on 12th December 2007Daniel McGinnis with Suzanne Smalley (2003): Now Families Face the Cost of War.Newsweek, April 21, 2003, p. 11..Robert D. Hormat. (2007): The Price of Liberty: Paying for Americas Wars. Published by Henry and Holt Company